From Machine Shop to Studio

In 2011, Nate moved back to his home town and happened upon a shop sale at 250 Freeman Street. He was buying scrap steel to build a furnace in his parent's garage. Nate found out that the building was for sale and later purchased the property. Click here to see how Decatur Glassblowing has grown and transformed over time. 

Meet Our Team

Atlanta native, Nathan Nardi always found himself drawn to creative expression through making.
​He discovered his passion for glass blowing in 2001 while at Jacksonville University, where he
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Nathan Nardi

Carli Nardi

Carli began working for Nate in 2014 before graduating from Georgia State University with a BA in Studio Art. Her professional experience includes corporate marketing and event planning, allowing her to oversee the gallery and all scheduling aspects of the business. In her free time she enjoys coaching lacrosse and taking pottery classes. 

Upon completion of her BFA: Glass, Abigail lived for several years in Corning, NY where she worked for Corning Museum of Glass and volunteered at local glass studios. She recently relocated to Atlanta to work for Nate, who was her intro to glass instructor at Kent State University in 2007. Her work is inspired by nature, science fiction and the intersection of mechanics and biology. Abigail's extensive studio experience has translated well into the roles of gallery manager and instructor at Decatur Glassblowing. 

Abigail Yeagley
https://aeyeagley.wordpress.com

Carolina Hall

Carolina tried glassblowing for the first time as a senior in high school. Fall of 2012 she attended Hastings College in Hastings, NE and in 2016 graduated with her Bachelors in Studio Arts: Glass. In 2014, she attended a session with Jessica Jane Julius and Erica Rosenfeld at Pilchuck Glass School. From 2015-2016 she was the TA to all intro to glass classes. She then moved to work in the studios in the metro Atlanta area.  Her style of work is very whimsical and inspired by everyday life of humans and what makes them work. She began work for Decatur Glassblowing in 2018 as both gallery host and instructor. ​

Coming soon...

Kelly Robertson

Lee Ritchie

Lee grew up in a small town in northern Illinois. He began glassblowing over 45 years ago at Illinois State University under Joel Phillip Myers. Lee has owned and operated several small glass studios, including the first hot shop in Atlanta in the mid 70's.

Through the years, while raising a family, Lee’s interests branched out into teaching, including: Specialty teacher at Atlanta’s Waldorf School, leader in the Boy Scouts, and ultimately in the Atlanta area glass shops. Lee met Nate about 6 years ago and has been a part of Decatur Glassblowing from it’s beginning.